Angels fall first
by Billywick
Summary: the threequel to WoC and 'Heartless'. the wedding of Hitsugaya and Ayazani is imminent, but they run into some very big trouble...HitsuxOC
1. Chapter 1

**OMG DDR UPLOADED THREEQUEL IS COMPLETE!**

Ahahahhaha. You may have noticed the previous two chapters of Angels Fall First disappear. That's right, I took them down... That is because…DDR came out, I read them over, and decided I didn't want to go that way. So, forgive me if you liked them, but i needed the characters to do other things. This is the last of my writings about Ayazani. Enjoy.

Ja ne!

HA-sensei


	2. Chapter 2

**A's note: Well, it's finally done...This is the last part of Ayazani's trilogy, and possibly the end of this character's stories. I feel that she's done enough, it's time for some others. So, this is kind of...I don't know, I don't feel very accomplished with this, so let me know what you think**

**-HA-sensei**

**Angels Fall First**

Light dawned in Seireitei. In their now shared apartment, Ayazani woke up slowly next to Toushiro. She opened her eyes, just to look at his sleeping face.

"Kawaii..." she whispered as his white hair flopped all over his peaceful face. Ayazani smiled softly and moved a rebellious strand of hair off of his face. Then she shuffled closer to her fiancé. She spent another ten minutes just watching him sleep. Toushiro mumbled something in his sleep and Ayazani could feel an arm over her midriff. She blushed ever so slightly as she felt his touch against her bare skin.

"AYA-TAICHOU-CHAN!!" Matsumoto's voice boomed through the building, shaking the furniture. Ayazani and Toushiro shot up, wide awake. The door flew open and Rangiku charged in. Ayazani clutched the blankets to herself leaving Toushiro scrambling for cover.

"MATSUMOTO!! WHAT THE HELL?!" Hitsugaya shouted after grabbing a corner of the blanket and covering his, uhm, essentials.

"Aya-Taichou-chan! Get up, get up, get up!! We have so much to dooooooo!" Matsumoto almost sang as she tried to grab Ayazani including cover.

"Ran-chan! What's the matter with you?!"

"We have so much to do today!! Oh, I'm so excited!! The big day!! It's tomorrow!! So get up, Aya-Taichou-chan!!" Rangiku squeed and pranced around. Hitsugaya looked more than a little annoyed. He quickly found some pants, pulled them under the covers and put them on. Then he grabbed Matsumoto by her scarf-thingy and chucked her out of the room.

"Don't you dare come in like that again, Matsumoto, or I'll swear I'll give you so much work you'll never have time to drink sake again!" He growled as he slammed the door in her face. Matsumoto clawed at the door.

"But Taichou! Aya-Taichou-chan has to get ready!!"

"Urusai!" Then Toushiro turned back to Ayazani who was wide-eyed and confused.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something...What was Ran-chan on about?" She muttered. Hitsugaya got back in bed, and knocked on her on the forehead lightly.

"Owee!"

"Baka. Did you honestly forget?"

"What? What?!"

"The Wedding. Our Wedding. It's tomorrow." Hitsugaya sighed.

"OH MY GOSH!! HOW COULD I FORGET!!" Ayazani shot up and ran around the room, like a headless chicken. Hitsugaya sweatdropped. Ayazani scrambled around and threw on her clothes, brushed her hair quickly and grabbed her Zanpaktous.

"Aya-chan, what do you need those for?" Toushiro asked.

"...Matsumoto." was all she replied. He smirked. She jumped on the bed, into his lap.

"I'm probably not gonna get to see you until tomorrow, Shiro-kun."

"Huh?"

"The bride and groom aren't supposed to see each other before the wedding, silly!" She lectured. Toushiro rolled his eyes, then pulled her close and pressed his lips against hers. Ayazani put her arms around his neck. Toushiro leant back, slowly downwards to the bed. Ayazani followed him down, smiling into the kiss as Hitsugaya's hands wandered around her body like they'd never touched it before.

"AYA-TAICHOU-CHAN!! STOP MAKING OUT WITH TAICHOU AND GET YOUR PUNY ASS OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!" Matsumoto hollered from the other side of the door. Ayazani fell off of Toushiro and the bed in shock.

"I'm gonna kill that woman, I swear..." Hitsugaya growled, shaking his fist at the door. Ayazani picked herself up from the floor.

"I guess I better go before Ran-chan breaks down the damn door...Ja ne, Shiro-kun." She said, giving him another light kiss before heading to the door. Before she opened it, Hitsugaya spoke up again.

"Aya-chan."

She turned around.

"Aishiteru." He smiled, his turquoise eyes full of soft admiration.

"I love you too, Shiro-kun!" She replied happily, then the door opened widely behind her. Matsumoto towered over her.

"Okay, enough with the shmoop! You're coming with me." Rangiku dragged Ayazani off before she could protest.

Hitsugaya sighed again, then got up and dressed. He grabbed some breakfast, and munched thoughtfully. The wedding sure had come up fast...first, him and Ayazani had moved in together, and they'd chosen his apartment as it was larger. That was not long after his proposal. Seireitei had recovered to its normal state after Ayazani had defeated Aizen once and for all. Yamamoto had expressed his disapproval of marriage between Captains, but seeing as Ayazani had defeated their greatest enemy, he couldn't really refuse her wishes.

It made Hitsugaya smirk a little with pride. Ayazani sure had surprised the Captain Commander with her outrage. He remembered the old man's shock as she shouted at him. Toushiro had made a mental note back then. Never piss off Kurimatsu Ayazani, ever. He smirked again. She was going to be Hitsugaya Ayazani soon...

A loud knock at the door pulled the Captain out of his happy thoughts.

He walked over and opened the door, holding his piece of toast in his hand.

"Nani? Abarai-san? Kuchiki -Taichou? Karoue-san?" Hitsugaya was confused as to why these three males were stood in front of his door.

"Ohayo, Hitsugaya-Taichou." Renji and Byakuya replied.

"Ne, has Ayazani-san left already?" Karoue asked whilst rudely looking into the apartment. Hitsugaya pushed him back out.

"Yes, Matsumoto already dragged her off, apparently they have lots of stuff to do for tomorrow." He explained, irritated at the fact that this was his 'official bonding' to Ayazani and he wouldn't get to see her for nearly two days.

"That's actually why we're here." Renji mentioned. Then something purple jumped on him.

"YO! SHIRO-CHAN!" Ayumi grinned, whilst hugging Renji's neck. Karoue laughed and Byakuya looked un-amused. Hitsugaya gave Ayumi a murderous glare.

"It's Hitsugaya-Taichou, baka."

"Hai, hai! OH! There's gonna be two Hitsugaya-Taichous soon though, so how am I supposed to tell you apart?!"

Renji clamped his hands over Ayumi's loud mouth.

"Gomen ne, Hitsugaya-Taichou...Ayumi-chan has still not learned any manners..."

"I can see that. Now, what are you four doing here?" Hitsugaya continued nibbling his toast.

"We came to help you with preparations...You know, suits, stag party, the whole she-bang." Karoue smirked. Toushiro's eye twitched.

"Stag party?"

"That's right! let's get going!" Karoue swung an arm around the short Captain and pulled him along. Byakuya still seemed un-enthusiastic. He wasn't exactly sure how Ayumi had managed to convince him to be a part of this, it had just sort of happened.

"Oooh, Aya-Taichou-chan, you look so cute!!" Matsumoto squealed as Ayazani came out of the fitting room in a rather nice dress. She touched the soft fabric looking doubtful.

"Ano...I don't know about this..." she surveyed another dress.

"I think I would rather get that one..."

"Aya-Taichou-chan, that one's black." Rangiku held up the dress Ayazani had pointed at. The shop assistant was buzzing around in an excited manner. A wedding was always a great occasion, but a Captain's wedding was special. For one, they had more money to spend, and usually the whole divisions attended.

Ayazani had gone through a large part of their dress stock already, and couldn't seem to find anything she remotely liked. She headed back into the changing room with the black dress.

"Shouldn't I wear a kimono anyway?" Ayazani's voice asked from behind the curtain. Matsumoto shook her head.

"Kimonos are soooo out of fashion, Aya-Taichou-chan!"

"But it's not a fashion show, Ran-chan. It's my wedding…" Ayazani complained quietly as she came out of the dressing room.

"It suits you, but you need a white dress, Aya-Taichou-chan!" Matsumoto threw another dress at Ayazani and turned her back into the small room. Ayazani sighed heavily and cast a pitiful look to the shop assistant.

"Help me…"

--

Toushiro sighed heavily. He was so not in the mood to be dragged around and advised on married life...He wondered what his fiancee was doing. Knowing Matsumoto, Ayazani was probably being subjected to similar torture, possibly worse.

"And if you don't treat her right, I'll make your life hell!" Karoue mentioned yet again. Hitsugaya sent him a glare.

"I don't need advice on how to treat my future wife from you, Yamamoto.' He snapped. Karoue returned the glare.

Suddenly, Toushiro's attention was captivated by the small black butterfly fluttering before him.

"It's a message from SoTaichou..." Hitsugaya muttered, 'He wants to see me right now..." the young Taichou sighed, and turned to the direction of 1st Division.

'But what about the preps?!" Ayumi shouted after him.

"Duty always comes first, no matter what." Byakuya uttered the usual Taichou line.

"Even before something like this?" Ayumi questioned. Byakuya merely nodded. Karoue sighed.

"Man it must suck to be a Taichou..."

--

'Hitsugaya-Taichou. Thank you for answering my summons." Yamamoto rested his gaze on the short Taichou.

"Of course, SoTaichou. What is the reason for this?" Hitsugaya replied courteously.

"I know this may come at an inconvenient time, but I have a mission I need you to attend to."

"Nani? Can't someone else do it? I'm getting married tomorrow!" Toushiro exclaimed, shock ringing through his voice. The old man in front of him sent him a look of disapproval.

"I'm sorry, but no other Taichou other than you and Kurimatsu are currently free enough to attend to this. Unless you would like me to trouble her..."

"No. I'll go." Hitsugaya cut him off, crossing his arms. He would not ruin Ayazani's day as well. Besides, how long could this mission be?

Yamamoto continued.

"Good. I need you to escort a very valuable transport. The King's Seal."

Hitsugaya frowned.

"And how long will that take?"

"It shouldn't be longer than a day. You will be back in plenty of time."

"Hai..."

Yamamoto watched him leave. He shook his head a little and sighed. His fukutaichou Sasakibe appeared behind him.

"SoTaichou, Kuchiki-Taichou or myself could have gone."

"I know. But I do not approve of this marriage. It seems to me that it makes those two believe they can do whatever they want. Well, not under my command."

"I see." Sasakibe uttered, "You don't approve but you can't object to it, due to Kurimatsu-Taichou's accomplishments?"

"That, and she's become too powerful..." Yamamoto added, feeling the need to assert his authority.

--

Later that night...

Ayazani stumbled out of the bar, taking deep breaths of the night air. Matsumoto had forced her to down one bottle after another, and it took all of Ayazani's strength to escape from her 'party'. She leant against the wall, gazing up into the sky.

Tomorrow would be the day...

Ever since Toushiro proposed to her, Ayazani had wondered what it would be like, to be married to him. Many ideas had flashed through her mind, none of them making sense to her.

"It'll be fine..." she muttered to herself, after all, it would be just like before, right? They already lived together, so marriage was just like an upgrade to that. She hoped.

Ayazani let her mind wander to her fiancé. She wondered what he was doing right now, was he getting the same treatment from Karoue and Renji? She chuckled a little at that thought, Toushiro was definitely not the kind of person that would enjoy loud drunken fun. Ayazani sighed.

She would have preferred to be at home, watching the stars with Hitsugaya, maybe taking a soak in their onsen, and just leading a quiet, meaningful conversation.

"Well, soon you'll have all the time in Soul society to do so, Ayazani-sama." Amaterasu interrupted her thoughts.

"Yeah...hey get out of my head!"

--

The morning came fast. Too fast for Ayazani's liking, as Matsumoto was practically hangover resistant and dragging her to get ready.

"Ran-chan, can I at least eat first?" Ayazani begged.

"No! if you eat now, you might not fit into your dress!!' Matsumoto declared, already branding a brush and a huge bag of make-up.

Ayazani sweat-dropped.

"Why me?"

"Because you're Taichou's luuuuuuuuurve!" Matsumoto sing-songed, laughing and running as Ayazani was about to beat her for that comment.

About two hours of struggling, complaining and shouting later, Ayazani was finally ready. Matsumoto dragged her out of the door, they would be late otherwise.

"Oh my god...can't we just walk?" Ayazani eyed the carriage dubiously. Matsumoto gasped.

"Your dress might get dirty! No way! In you go!!"

Ayazani got in, making sure the folds of expensive material that her dress consisted of were properly inside. The carriage rumbled into motion. Ayazani closed her eyes, this was so much fuss...She hoped the big ceremonial part would be over soon.

"This is going to be great! I might cry!" Rangiku chirped.

"Please don't." Ayazani sighed, having a bad feeling about all of this.

--

Six hours later.

The guests had fled inside the building, only one person sat in the down-pour. Ayazani looked out over Seireitei, her mind occupied with all the reasons for Hitsugaya's absence.

Her expensive dress had been ruined, the make-up Matsumoto had forced on her ran in dark smudges down her thoughtful face.

"Toushiro..." She muttered, a tear running down her face, disguised by the rain drops.

A small black butterfly flew towards her, tottering and straining a little through the rain. She held her finger out for it to land on. As she listened, her eyes widened with shock. She got up hastily, and flash-stepped to her apartment. It lay empty in front of her, no sign of Toushiro. Ayazani quickly got changed into her Taichou robes, then shunpo-ed to the Hall of meetings.

The Captains were already assembled, and waiting.

Ayazani flung the door open, soaked by the rain, and looking quite confused. She didn't know what this meeting was about, the message had just said that it was urgent. Yamamoto nodded slightly at Ayazani, indicating for her to take her place at Komamura's side.

Ayazani's eyes swept the row of Captains quickly, but they didn't catch what they'd hoped for. The other Taichous avoided her gaze almost with embarrassment. They all knew of the failed wedding.

Ayazani took her place and looked quizzically at Yamamoto. He cleared his throat.

"Thank you all for responding so quickly. I'm afraid I have bad news." The old man glanced at Ayazani, who's stomach did a nervous flip.

"Yesterday morning, I sent Hitsugaya-Taichou on a mission. To transport the precious King's Seal. He was supposed to return after its successful delivery. However..."

Ayazani could feel her heart-beat increase. This was bad. Something was very, very wrong.

"I have received reports from the special ops that there has been an attack on the transport, and Hitsugaya-Taichou has not been seen since."

Ayazani stared at Yamamoto's ancient face, what was he indicating, that Toushiro had betrayed them, stolen the king's seal for himself? Surely the old man would know better than to condemn a man like Hitsugaya Toushiro.

"Therefore, our top priorities are twofold. The search and retrieval of the King's seal, and the capture of the person most related to the incident, Jyu-bantai-Taichou, Hitsugaya Toushiro." Yamamoto looked down at the Taichou's expectantly. No one spoke, silence reigned completely over the assembled shinigami.

Matsumoto, who was still kneeling on the floor, furrowed her brow into a frown and shot a side-ways look at Ayazani. The captain of fifth clenched her fists, but remained quiet.

"Furthermore, I'm placing Tenth Division under house-arrest," Yamamoto's gaze swung from Matsumoto to Ayazani, "And, the person most involved with the perpetrator. Kurimatsu-Taichou."

"Nani?!" Ayazani exclaimed, this was unexpected. Her anger and confusion about the situation loosened her usual respect for the SoTaichou.

"Do you really think that because of my relationship with Toushiro, I would aid him if he had done something against the law?" Her different coloured eyes narrowed into a scowl, her reiatsu surging up a little. The Taichous around her suddenly looked more alert.

"SoTaichou, isn't this a little far-fetched? We have no evidence that Kurimatsu had anything to do with this incident." Byakuya voiced his opinion, finding the rash conclusion Yamamoto had jumped to unprofessional.

"Iie. Kurimatsu and Hitsugaya have disrespected certain rules in the past. I'm merely taking some precautions. Now, Kurimatsu-Taichou, please relinquish your Zanpaktous." Yamamoto's fukutaichou stepped forward, head bowed slightly, hands outstretched and waiting for the two swords.

Ayazani thought of her situation. Resisting and refusing the direct order would be rebellion, and that would exclude her completely from the search for her beloved. She gave a heavy sigh and placed Amaterasu and Tatsoi into the waiting hands.

--

"_Kusaka!!"_

Hitsugaya woke with a start, the nightmarish scene of his past had been haunting him for days now. Why now...why was he thinking of his old best friend now? It didn't make sense...

The white-haired shinigami looked around him. He didn't know this room, the last he knew he had been in a forest. He tried to sit up. The wound in his abdomen sent a searing pain through him, reminding him of recent events.

"Where am I?" he questioned the emptiness around him. Ichigo opened the door.

"Yo."

"Kurosaki? Where am I?"

"You're at my house. I found you unconscious and exhausted, I couldn't just leave ya."

Hitsugaya looked away, annoyed to have been seen in such a weak state, and most of all, to have needed help from someone.

"Sorry for the trouble."

"The special ops are looking for you." Ichigo sat down, expecting a full and detailed explanation of events.

Toushiro just closed his eyes.

"Uh-huh."

"That's it? What's going on? What are you doing? Why are they looking for you?" Ichigo didn't pick up on the mood, and continued to fire questions at the short Taichou.

"It's none of your business." Hitsugaya finally snapped, stumping Ichigo into silence.

"Fine. I'll call Inoue tomorrow morning." The carrot-top stood up, leaving the Shinigami alone and in the dark.

Hitsugaya bit his tongue. He couldn't afford to lay here all night, he had to get moving...Find that man, the one that had stabbed him in the stomach, the man that had sounded so...familiar...

--

"Still no sign?" Ayazani watched Todani's dejected head-shake and gave an annoyed sigh. Since she was on house-arrest, she seemed to have lost track of time. Todani tried her best as a vice-captain to keep Ayazani updated with the search, but the Special Ops under Soifon's command revealed little.

"Alright, you can go." Ayazani dismissed her fukutaichou with a wave, and turned back into her apartment. Without Hitsugaya, it seemed dreadfully empty. Where could he have gone? And why would he leave, just like this?

Her mind wouldn't rest. She couldn't sleep, or eat, or catch up on paperwork. She spent the past day pacing up and down, trying to clutch at anything that might be a hint to his reasoning. Nothing. She had found nothing. It made her realise how painfully little she knew of Hitsugaya's past. How much of his life he'd spent alone, shutting things up so deep inside of him even she didn't know.

"Toushiro..." Ayazani's eyes fell on her bedside table, her favourite picture of herself and Hitsugaya was starting to gather dust. She picked it up gently, letting her thumb rub the gray layer off of his face.

"Where are you?" the whispered question hung unanswered in the empty room. Ayazani let herself collapse onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind boiling with questions that she couldn't answer.

--

"Why didn't you stop him?!" Renji gripped Ichigo by the shirt, didn't the carrot-top understand the situation?

"I tried, but he left anyway!" Ichigo pushed the red-head back roughly, then held up the small haori with the tenth insignia.

"That's Hitsugaya-Taichou's..." Rukia muttered in shock. So he really had left the Gotei 13 behind...but why? What could inspire the usually trustworthy Taichou to do something so drastic?

"Renji, return to Seireitei. See if you can find out anything about this Kusaka guy from Matsumoto. And...give this to her or Kurimatsu-Taichou..."

Renji didn't question Rukia's demands, and left to be the bearer of bad news.

--

"_There can only be one!"_

"_There's no need for two!"_

"_Obey, don't question Central 46's decision!"_

"_I'll abandon Hyourinmaru! Kusaka is my friend!"_

Once again, Toushiro could hear the echo of his past, his own voice, screaming, begging the stoic members of Central 46 not to force him to fight his friend. Once again, he could see Kusaka desperately struggling against his executioners, and once again, he saw his friend's death.

His turquoise eyes focused on the setting sun of Karakura, and he felt his mind finding his present situation once more. He had to move. He had to find that man. Before Seireitei found him.

Toushiro knew it was only a matter of time now, but he couldn't let it happen. He had to do this alone. He closed his eyes once more.

Alone.

That's what Ayazani was, in Seireitei. Knowing Yamamoto and his suspicion, she was probably being detained and questioned. The thought of this sent a wave of angry guilt through Toushiro. That was also his fault. He couldn't even imagine what his fiancee was thinking of him now. Would she be angry at him? Most likely. Would she be heartbroken, knowing he'd abandoned her at the altar, so to speak? Undoubtedly.

"Gomen nasai, Aya-chan..." Toushiro muttered into the cold air. It was too late to ignore events and go back to his beloved's side. He had to do this first. Alone.

Once more, the young shinigami struggled to his feet, to continue his escape, he needed to rest somewhere for the night.

--

Matsumoto sat motionlessly in front of the screen door, watching the small fountain in front of her in silence. Her company was doing the same, both women lost in thought about the same man.

"Kurimatsu-Taichou..." Matsumoto muttered to her black-haired companion,

"Hai?" Ayazani muttered in an equally depressed tone,

"Do you think he'd ever leave like-"

"Iie." Ayazani cut her off before she could finish. Rangiku looked at her expectantly, waiting for the answer to her unfinished question,

"You know Toushiro is not that kind of man. Whatever he left for, it is personal and important. And he will return. He has to...he has to." Ayazani's voice dwindled into a whisper, her head resting on her knees, her eyes distant in thought.

"I know." Matsumoto laid a reassuring hand on the young captain's shoulder. She was sure that Ayazani's pain was just as bad as hers when Ichimaru left. In that aspect, she felt sorrow for her captain's lover. And yet, between them, they still couldn't come up with any reason why Hitsugaya had done what he'd done.

"You're prohibited from seeing Matsumoto-fukutaichou!" The voice of the vice-captain of the second division interrupted the serene mood of the two women. Ayazani stood and walked inside, she was not supposed to be in Tenth, and if she was spotted, the house-arrest security would be tightened impossibly.

Kyouraku, Nanao and Renji walked into the garden minutes later, they're faces full of sympathy for the strawberry blonde vice-captain.

"Matsumoto-san, we need to ask you some things about Hitsugaya-Taichou." Renji began, holding up a bundle of cloth.

"What about Toushiro?" Ayazani mentioned, stepping into view and unmasking her reiatsu.

"Kurimatsu-Taichou? What are you doing here?" Nanao questioned, she was sure that house-arrest did not mean wandering between divisions.

"It doesn't matter. What is this, Renji?" Ayazani had reached for the bundle in Renji's hands. The red-head suddenly looked uncomfortable as Ayazani unwrapped Hitsugaya's haori.

"Rukia and Ichigo wanted me to give this to you and Matsumoto."

Renji's words drifted over Ayazani meaninglessly. She couldn't help staring wide-eyed at the cloth in her hands. If he had abandoned this then it meant...

"He's hurt!" She exclaimed, gingerly touching the dried blood on the fine material. It was in the abdomen region. Worry shot through her, was it a bad wound? He had no resources to treat himself...

"Yeah, Ichigo said it was bad..." Renji felt extremely uncomfortable in his role of the bearer of bad news. Ayazani cradled the haori to herself, closing her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, steely determination ruled her expression.

"Kurimatsu-Taichou, don't do anything ra-"

Before Kyouraku could finish, Ayazani had disappeared with flashstep.

"That woman...she's gonna run right after him." The 8th Division captain shook his head lightly, but a small smile spread on his face.

"Ayazani-chan...find him." Matsumoto muttered, knowing that once her captain's lover had that expression, there was nothing that could stop her.

--

"Yamamoto-Sotaichou, 12th Division has located Hitsugaya's reiatsu in Karakura. What are your orders?" Sasakibe stood ready to relay the old man's orders.

"Send Kira and Hisagi with a squadron of their choice to retrieve him."

"Should their limiters be released?" Sasakibe watched his Taichou walk slowly from the window back to his desk,

"Iie. I have no reason to suspect Hitsugaya would attack them. Go now."

"Hai, Sotaichou."

Sasakibe bowed and left the room, returning quickly to his own office and sending out two hell butterflies to carry out the supreme orders.

"Sasakibe-fukutaichou."

A female voice sounded from behind him, making the older shinigami spin around, his hand on the hilt of his Zanpaktou.

Ayazani looked unfazed by his threatening pose even though she held no weapon.

"Kurimatsu-Taichou! You are breaking your house-arrest! Return to your division at once!"

"I will not." Ayazani growled, holding her hand up as if waiting for something.

Something close by screeched, and the ground started trembling.

"What are you doing?" Sasakibe questioned, watching the Captain cautiously, unsure of her intentions.

Something huge and red burst through the ceiling, showering the two shinigami in bricks and mortar and screeching loudly once more. Sasakibe opened an eye and peered through his arms which he'd thrown over his face protectively.

A phoenix hovered before him, beating its wings of fire slowly and facing Ayazani, who merely beckoned to the creature. The phoenix dropped a black katana in front of his shinigami, then turned into a single flame, which shaped into his Zanpaktou form in Ayazani's hand.

The short Taichou picked up Amaterasu, and slung the pair of katanas over her back.

"Kurimatsu-Taichou, you're breaking the laws for-"

Before Sasakibe could finish, a make-shift Senkaimon opened in the room. Ayazani gave him one last look, then wordlessly stepped into the gate as it closed behind her.

--

Hitsugaya had finally managed to rest his aching body. He was grateful for the existence of this little shrine. He had found it in a secluded part of the forest, and so far, the swarming shinigami had missed his hidden reiatsu.

Footsteps. Running footsteps. This could only mean one thing. They had found him. Hitsugaya mentally swore, he was not in any shape or mood to return to Seireitei, or explain his actions. He turned painfully and peered through the carved window frame.

Kira Izuru and Hisagi Shuuhei let their squadrons surround the small shrine, unwilling to risk letting the rogue Taichou escape.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou! This is a special emergency order! Please return to Seireitei!"

The door of the shrine opened slowly minutes later. The shinigami watched with tense anticipation.

Hitsugaya stepped out, face emotionless and determined, his mind suppressing the pain from his wound.

"I will not." He snapped, hand immediately landing on Hyourinmaru.

The shinigami reached for their own Zanpaktous, they had hoped not to have to fight with a Taichou.

Hitsugaya charged forward, faster than Shuuhei could draw. Kira smashed his blade on top of Hyourinmaru, resulting in a deadlock.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, please stop, they'll consider this rebellion!" Kira warned, hoping to get through to the rogue shinigami.

"Back off Kira, Hisagi!" Hitsugaya growled, already breathing heavy as his wound oozed fresh blood, his body screaming in protest to all this stress.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, you're under arrest." Shuuhei said calmly, sensing an inevitable fight with the snow-haired shinigami.

"You're a dead man."

A kick flung Shuuhei backwards, giving Toushiro room to swing Hyourinmaru up and knock Wabisuke out of Kira's hands. Shuuhei was about to draw his own weapon as Hyourinmaru smashed into it a second time, this time the blow was so forceful it knocked Shuuhei off of his feet.

The other shinigami rushed forward to apprehend Hitsugaya.

Shuuhei saw that in raw power, they could not compare to the Taichou. A binding would be the only way to solve this without any casualties.

"Way of binding number sixty-two! One hundred Stepped Rails!"

The shining white rods shot down towards Hitsugaya, who was deadlocked between three shinigami. Using his flashstep, he managed to dodge them, except one.

The white rod pierced through his shoulder, pinning him to the carved rock in front of the shrine.

Gasping for breath, Hitsugaya turned around and pulled the reiatsu-based rod out of his body, more blood rushing from his new wound.

"Please don't move." Kira uttered as the shinigami closed in.

"Bankai! Hosenka Daisenpou Tatsoi!"

The column of flame roaring down from the sky threw the shinigami backwards. As they scrabbled to their feet, they had no trouble recognizing the interloper.

"Kurimatsu-Taichou!"

Toushiro looked up into the fiery blaze, and his chest seemed to tighten. There she was, his Ayazani, ready to protect him, no matter what the situation.

"Aya...Aya-chan..." he groaned with pain.

Ayazani ignored his groan, her attention on the shinigami surrounding them once more.

"Kurimatsu-Taichou, what are you doing?!" Kira asked, his voice a little shrill with worry, they couldn't take on both Taichous. Not to mention the extent of Ayazani's power was well known throughout the Gotei 13.

"Kira, Hisagi, back off. If you try to take Toushiro, you have to get through me first." Ayazani let her wings blaze a little more, the effect working perfectly on the squadron of shinigami, who seemed to cower away from the heat.

"This is rebellion, Kurimatsu-Taichou! You're disobeying the special emergency order!" Hisagi exclaimed, raising his Zanpaktou to show he would not just abandon his task.

"Have it your way," Ayazani looked down a minute, then raised Tatsoi lightly, "Hosenka Boufuuu."

A thick tenseness could be felt all around the hall of meetings. Every Taichou assembled wore an expression of the utmost concentration, the situation seemed to have gotten worse by far.

"Hitsugaya Toushiro and Kurimatsu Ayazani are suspected of having defected. The previous special emergency order is hereby changed," Yamamoto announced.

"This is merely opinion, but isn't that rather hasty?" Unohana mentioned, giving the Sotaichou a slightly disdainful look.

"I will not permit any objection! The search for the King's seal is to continue, but furthermore, Hitsugaya Toushiro's capture is now our top priority. And since Kurimatsu will no doubt defend him, if they show resistance, execute them both!"

Toushiro woke up slowly, once again not knowing where he was, his surroundings unfamiliar.

"You're awake."

He knew that gentle voice better than anything, and his eyes strained to find the source. Ayazani stepped out of the shadows, coming over to the make-shift mattress she'd laid him on.

"Aya-chan..." Toushiro looked away, he couldn't meet her gaze. How could he even begin to explain what had happened?

Ayazani's hand softly turned his face back towards her.

"Look at me, Toushiro." She ordered, he obeyed wordlessly, "you don't need to explain to me, if you don't want to. But, know this. You are never...alone. I'm always ready to stand by your side, no matter what it is you wish to do." Tears glistened in her eyes, but she rubbed them away quickly.

"Aya-chan..." Toushiro found he wanted to tell her so much, and yet, he didn't want to burden her with anything. It was his own guilt, not hers to suffer from. Instead, he just reached forward, pulling her into his embrace, breathing her scent gratefully. He may have rejected anyone else's help, but she was different. She wouldn't pressure answers out of him. she merely asked to be by his side.

"I won't abandon you...ever again..." he muttered into her ear.

"Shiro-kun..." Ayazani pulled back slightly, only to place a soft kiss on his lips. Toushiro pulled her closer, wanting her to feel his gratitude.

After a couple of minutes they pulled apart. Toushiro noticed his body was no longer in agony. He looked down. She dressed his wounds, and the ripped material looked like her own haori.

Before he could question her, she spoke quietly.

"This man you're pursuing, Kusaka, is he that important to you?"

Toushiro closed his eyes. After all she'd done for him, he owed her an explanation.

"Yes. He was my closest friend in academy. He...also wielded Hyourinmaru. Central 46 wouldn't allow it...They ordered us to fight, then decided that I should be the owner of Hyourinmaru and..."

He couldn't continue. The memories filled him with painful guilt. Ayazani let her hand run through his hair, then rest on his cheek.

"Can you walk?"

"Hai."

"Then let's find Kusaka." Ayazani gave him a small smile, and stood, holding out her hand to help him up. Toushiro took it and got to his feet.

--

"An execution order?" Ichigo exclaimed, unable to believe Seireitei would be so quick to turn on their own trusted Taichous. Rukia nodded gravely, then held her phone up to let Renji continue with his information.

But before anything else could be heard, the wall of Ichigo's room exploded, and Kusaka's two arrancar disciples, Yun and Yan, hovered before Ichigo and Rukia.

"You are a risk to Kusaka-sama's plan, so you must be eliminated!" Yan announced.

"You again!" Ichigo charged upwards, ready to attack the duo.

"Shinigami-kun."

The unfamiliar voice made Ichigo stop in his tracks, turning to see a tall man behind a Vizard-like mask. The stranger drew his Zanpaktou wordlessly, the sheath dissolving as he did.

"That's Hyourinmaru!" Rukia recognized the ice Zanpaktou immediately.

"Why would you have Hyourinmaru?!" Ichigo yelled, sensing that this guy was a lot stronger than the two Arrancar chicks.

"Because I am Hyourinmaru's master!" Kusaka rushed forward to attack.

--

"Did you say Twin Zanpakutou?" Mayuri gave Byakuya and Ukitake a scrutinizing look. The suggestion seemed quite ridicolous, "That's impossible."

"So you can prove there couldn't be two Hyourinmaru?" Ukitake questioned, feeling a little downtrodden. He'd hoped there could be an explanation for the fault Byakuya had discovered in the timings of the two attacks supposedly committed with Hyourinmaru.

"Ah, Hyourinmaru? So you want me to sneak into the Great Library? No problem." Mayuri got to his hacking business, discovering something intriguing right away.

Ayazani pushed open the door of the warehouse slowly, peering inside the dark and uninviting building.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" She questioned Toushiro, who followed her inside with a solemn, thoughtful expression.

"Hai. He's here."

The two shinigami descended into the darkness, finally reaching the floor.

"So, you've finally found me." A smooth voice echoed around the huge room.

Hitsugaya's eyes widened as a figure emerged in front of them.

"Kusaka." He muttered. Ayazani snapped to alertness, this was the man Hitsugaya had been so desperate to pursue? Her hand rested on Tatsoi's hilt.

"That's why I used Hyourinmaru to leave a wound on your body. You can't figure out how I'm still alive? It doesn't really matter, does it, Hitsugaya?" Kusaka let his eyes wander to Hitsugaya's silent companion, a shinigami with dark hair and oddly coloured eyes. Then he turned and walked to a table of some sort.

"You know what the Protection Squads are like, why do you stay with them?"

Toushiro narrowed his eyes, feeling cautious about the strange words his old friend was saying. And how could he be alive? Why?

"Is it because of her?" Kusaka turned to look at the pair in front of him again. Ayazani scowled deeply at him, her hand now gripping Tatsoi tighter.

"Leave her out of this." Toushiro stepped in front of Ayazani, giving her a sign to lower her weapon, this was nothing to do with her. Ayazani sighed and stood down, but her guard was still up. She did not trust this mysterious, and inexplicably alive man.

"Where's the King's Seal?" Hitsugaya demanded. Kusaka opened his hand.

"Right here. It's going to make my dreams come true." Kusaka's face split into an insane smile, and the King's Seal started shining brightly, distorting the space around it.

"Toushiro!" Ayazani lunged forward, grabbing a tight hold of Hitsugaya's arm, unwilling to be separated from him in this obviously dangerous situation.

"How do you even know what it can do?!" Hitsugaya demanded, one hand holding onto Ayazani, feeling as if he had to keep her close.

"You'll see soon enough!" Kusaka laughed, as the King's Seal transported them to Seireitei.

"Todani, do you feel that?" Ayumi sat up, face suddenly serious as she tried to place the stifling reiatsu radiating from the Sokyokou.

"Ha-hai. It must be the King's Seal...Taichou!" The green-haired girl shot up, Zanpaktou in hand even before the hell butterfly announced the situation.

"Aya-chan, are you ok?" Hitsugaya nudged his companion to open her eyes.

Ayazani looked around.

"This is the Sokyokou..." She blinked, why were they back here?

"That's right, onna. Now, you are in the way." Kusaka smiled his wicked smile again, and the King's Seal glowed a different light.

Ayazani was surrounded by the glow, unable to move, unable to speak.

"What are you doing to her, Kusaka?!" Hitsugaya stood by helplessly.

"The King's Seal can change space and time. I can transport anything to any state it ever had, for example." He pointed at Ayazani's body, which started convulsing. Amaterasu dissolved into a black slimy substance, and crawled over her face and body.

"Ayazani!!" Toushiro tried approaching the weird light aura, but was repelled easily.

Suddenly, the light stopped. Ayazani landed on the floor, only to get up awkwardly with her head bowed.

"Aya-chan? Are you alright?!" Hitsugaya stretched out a hand towards her. Ayazani lifted her head. The hollow mask seemed to grin, its white, tentacle like ends stretching further down on the small shinigami's body.

"What...what did you do?!" Hitsugaya backed away from the hollowified shinigami.

"I transported her back to the point at which she was possessed by a hollow." Kusaka stated almost proudly.

"How can you even know about that?!" Hitsugaya couldn't take his eyes of the horrid shape that Ayazani had become.

"I was reincarnated in Hueco Mundo. I can always tell."

At that moment in time, five shinigami appeared at the scene. Ikkaku, Yumichika, Renji, Ayumi and Todani.

"Looks like we got here first." Ikkaku grinned, sensing a good fight.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou, why?!" Renji demanded.

"What's the point in asking now, Renji?" Ayumi growled, her eyes on the hollow-like creature facing them now.

"Where's Kurimatsu-Taichou?!" Todani demanded, her hand on the hilt of her katana.

"She'll be greeting you shortly." Kusaka grinned.

The hollowified Ayazani shot forward, heading straight for Todani. Ikkaku jumped in front, his katana drawn to slice through the hollow, only to find it biting down on the blade.

"What kind of weird-ass hollow is this?!" he snapped as he pulled his blade back harshly. The hollow reached behind its back and pulled out a Zanpaktou, the hilt-guard shaped like dancing flames.

"That's Tatsoi!" Todani exclaimed, then charged forward to clash swords with the creature who robbed her Taichou's Zanpaktou. The Hollow stared Todani in the face, its mouth stretching into a fanged grin as it lunged forward and bit deeply into Todani's arm. The girl screamed in pain and leapt backwards.

The hollow was about to follow, but Hitsugaya stepped into its path, letting Hyourinmaru clash against Tatsoi.

"Aya-chan..." he muttered, staring at the creature regretfully. The hollow just roared at him, then leant forward to bite into his shoulder. He pushed it back forcefully, feeling a sting of guilt as the creature bled from the cut.

"Aya-chan, come back to me, please!" He yelled, panic in his voice, if she didn't overcome this creature, he'd have to kill her. And that was something he couldn't face.

"That's...Kurimatsu-Taichou?" Yumichika questioned, eyeing the hollow with a surprised expression.

The hollow lunged forward again, once again stopped by Hyourinmaru, more blood spilling out of the half transformed body.

"Aya-chan!" Hitsugaya felt panicked now, why was she not turning back? Why was she still hollow? He felt hundreds of reiatsu arriving. Turning slightly, he saw near enough every shinigami in Soul Society rushing towards him, Zanpaktous drawn, ready to kill.

He couldn't possibly defeat them all.

The hollow suddenly leapt, and Hitsugaya reacted purely out of instinct, slicing deep into the body, burying Hyourinmaru to the hilt in warm flesh. Shock paralyzed Hitsugaya as he sagged down under the weight on him. The mask disappeared slowly from Ayazani's face, the particles turning back into a black Zanpaktou, Amaterasu.

"Aya-chan." Hitsugaya muttered, horror in his voice at the depth of the wound he'd caused her.

"Tou...shiro..." Ayazani whispered, blood running down her face as she collapsed sideways to the ground next to Hitsugaya.

The shinigami approaching had halted and now formed a way for the Taichous to pass through.

"Hitsugaya! Surrender!" Soifon ordered, walking through the parted shinigami alongside Mayuri, Byakuya, Ukitake and Komamura. The Taichous stared at Hitsugaya and the collapsed form of Ayazani, their faces perfect mirrors of what this situation looked like.

"To even attack Kurimatsu..." Soifon scowled, this just made the Taichou of tenth look more like a rogue.

"A-Aya-chan..." Hitsugaya cradled her to himself, picking her up and stepping back, wielding Hyourinmaru defensively in front of him.

"Hmhm. Pathetic." Kusaka smirked, not even bothering to face his multiple enemies.

"Execute them!" Soifon ordered hastily.

"HALT!"

The voice that had issued this command demanded respect, it was the ultimate authority. Yamamoto walked through the rows of bowing shinigami, Matsumoto and Kyouraku following behind.

"So you are alive, Kusaka Soujiro."

Kusaka merely announced his goal, to become King of Soul Society. He raised his hand, the King's Seal glowing once more.

Hitsugaya put Ayazani down on the ground gently, then turned and charged forwards.

"Taichou!" Matsumoto exclaimed, ready to help him.

"Stay back Matsumoto! This is my fight." Hitsugaya warned, facing down his old friend.

"What's the meaning of this, Toushiro?" Kusaka growled.

"I never had any intentions of joining you." Hitsugaya growled, much to the surprise of the assembled Taichous, "I only want to atone for my crimes."

"And what is your crime? Do you think you can atone by killing me?!"

Hitsugaya lunged forward, clashing his Hyourinmaru against Kusaka's, the two fighters uninterrupted by anyone.

"So from the very start, you..." Kusaka growled.

"That's right."

"I see. I misunderstood you. Then I will do this on my own." Kusaka pushed Hitsugaya back, the Seal glowing once more. He threw the small golden box up, then sliced it in half with his own Hyourinmaru.

The resulting released reiatsu sent Hitsugaya flying backwards.

"Kusakaaaaaaa!" he screamed, yet it seemed pointless, the tornado of reiatsu was roaring louder than anyone ever could.

"Tou...shiro..." A hand gripped his ankle. Hitsugaya looked down.

"Aya-chan." He knelt down next to her.

"Stay down, I don't want you to-"

"You don't have to do this alone." Ayazani cut him off, now gripping his sleeve and pulling herself up slightly,

"But you're hurt and this is-"

"When are you going to let me in?!" she cut him off again. Toushiro's eyes widened.

"I told you, you're not alone, Shiro-kun. Let me stand by you..."

"Ayazani..." Hitsugaya closed his eyes briefly, then helped her stand.

"Here he comes." He muttered.

The reiatsu tornado dissipated, and revealed what Kusaka had dreamt of being. A giant, purplish ice-dragon emerged, it's distorted laugh clearly echoing the voice of its creator.

Before anyone else could move, Kenpachi burst from out of nowhere, his reiatsu to the fullest, his face sporting his typical insane grin. Without hesitation, he stabbed the giant creature in the torso.

The dragon, far from wounded, simply disposed of Kenpachi with one swipe of its giant claws. And a barrage of icy spikes.

Next, Kusaka flew to a tower, covering it in ice, and letting a huge tree-like structure grow beneath him. The King's Seal, without being properly controlled, created a huge black orb around the dragon, expanding slowly to cover all of Seireitei.

Yamamoto stepped forward, this had to be stopped somehow.

Hitsugaya and Ayazani looked at each other briefly, then took off, closely followed by Matsumoto, Todani and a variety of other shinigami.

The giant orb encompassed a good quarter of Seireitei now. The tree-like structure exploded beneath the Shinigami's feet.

"Toushiro, daijobu?" Ayazani uttered, having shielded her fiancé from a falling ice-chunk.

"Hai." Hitsugaya quickly got to his feet, a little embarrassed to be saved by her yet again. He turned to look at the giant castle-like building Kusaka had created with the power of the King's Seal.

"Hitsugaya-Taichou!" Matsumoto came to a halt in front of the two Taichous, Todani hard on her heels, followed by Renji, Ayumi, Ikkaku and Yumichika.

Yuroichi and Soifon appeared, "We've been ordered to kill Kusaka Soujiro whilst he cannot move."

Hitsugaya looked down for a second, his brows furrowed. So, he would witness his death once more. Was it really the only solution? Kusaka had been on Seireitei's side, and was killed, just for having the same Zanpaktou.

And now, after he'd managed to come to life once more, he'd be killed again, for wanting to exert his revenge on the people who punished him in the first place. Kusaka...he had lost it. Years of living in Hueco Mundo...they had turned him into an insane man.

No longer the caring, kind friend Hitsugaya once treasured. Just insane and bent on revenge.

"Toushiro."

He turned at Ayazani's gentle call. Ayazani smiled lightly at him, offering him his haori. The shinigami behind her wore confident smiles too, all saying the same silent message.

Hitsugaya pulled off the ripped cloak, and slipped into his haori, fastening Hyourinmaru on his back, and looking like his old self.

The group of shinigami set off.

--

"Nii-bankai! Mabushii Daisenpou Amatsoi!" Ayazani summoned her doubled Bankai, slicing through the group of Menos blocking hers and Hitsugaya's path to Kusaka's dragon tower.

The two winged Taichous raced to the top, Ayazani immediately moving forward to attack, only to be deflected by a yellow, cero-like blast. The shinigami hit the ground hard, her already injured body giving off sickening cracks as she struggled back to her feet.

"Ayazani! We need a plan." Toushiro exclaimed, landing next to her and staring up at their huge foe.

"Toushiro, can you hold him down, just for twenty seconds?" Ayazani stared at her fans thoughtfully.

Hitsugaya nodded, summoning his biggest form of Daiguren Hyourinmaru. The huge, turquoise ice-dragon rivaled Kusaka's in size. It roared ferociously, coiling around the purple monstrosity and crushing its limbs in its icy, snake-like body. The purple dragon stilled, it seemed paralyzed, unable to defend itself.

Ayazani let her wings carry her into the sky, then turned to face Kusaka's dragon. She moved her fans in a sweeping motion, side to side, as if it was part of a complicated dance.

"Hosenka Mai, Tatsoi!"

The attack that broke from her weapons was not the usual columns of flame, but instead, Tatsoi took shape once, more, a giant phoenix, bathed in flames, his emerald eyes glinting with purity, he raced down to his target. The impact of the two creatures sent a shock-wave down the entire structure, the four, leg-like columns shaking, swayed by the output of reiatsu. The icy dragon crumbled, along with its created hollows, and the huge orb that surrounded the superficial world the King's Seal had created in Kusaka's hands.

Kusaka himself appeared amidst the giant chunks of ice, clutching his Hyourinmaru and breathing heavily.

Hitsugaya let his Bankai disappear as Ayazani landed next to him to do the same. Her legs gave way and she let herself slump on the ground in a slouch. She looked between the two old friends, rivals, enemies.

"Go, Toushiro." She whispered, knowing that this was something only him and Kusaka could resolve.

"Let's finish this." Hitsugaya addressed Kusaka, who nodded, raising his sword.

The two shinigami, so vastly different, so unequal in experience, and yet wielding the same Zanpaktou, charged towards each other, one last attack, one blow, to finish it all.

One Hyourinmaru, the blade broken, tumbled to the ground, uselessly outclassed by its counterpart.

"You're a genius, after all." Kusaka muttered, a smile on his face, despite the pain running through him.

"You've tried killing me twice now, but I won't die..."

"Kusaka," Hitsugaya stared into the space behind Kusaka's disappearing body, "We'll always be friends."

"What if I'd..." Kusaka disappeared, his spirit particles floating upwards to disappear.

He was gone. Toushiro lowered Hyourinmaru, his face lost in thought, his mind unable to forget that last comment.

"What if...?"

"Shiro-kun..." Ayazani stopped a couple of steps away from him, not sure whether to approach him or not.

"Aya-chan." Toushiro knew no one was around, it didn't matter what anyone thought. He closed the space between himself and her, pulling her into his embrace, letting his head rest on her shoulder, the tears falling from his eyes soaking into her uniform.

Ayazani kissed the side of his head, letting her arms rest around him, and her head lean on his.

It was over. Kusaka couldn't be saved, even by such a close friend.

"I will never leave your side, Toushiro." She whispered. He merely tightened his grip on her, his one pillar, his support, his love.

Hitsugaya looked up, his face now hiding his emotions except for his eyes, which shone with soft admiration. He brushed some dry blood off of her face, kissing her forehead briefly,

"Arigatou, Aya-chan," a smile spread on his face, "I think I owe you this..." he rummaged in his pocket, yes, it was still there after all this time, the ring he'd chosen just for her.

He took her hand, pushing it on her ring finger gently, then looking into her eyes, "Be my beautiful wife, please, Aya-chan."

Ayazani smiled, flicking his forehead lightly, "I already said yes, baka-kun." She pulled him into another kiss, everything would work out alright, after all, that's what happened when they were together. And no matter what, she would ensure that no one and nothing would ever separate them.

-- **THE END **--


End file.
